Living in the present moment means no longer worrying about what happened in the past and not fearing what will happen in the future. It means enjoying what’s happening now and living for today. Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, but it also robs you of truly living. The only important moment is the present moment.

Why live moment to moment?
Life’s most precious aspect is found only here: in this present moment. Moment by moment we have the opportunity to experience life 100 percent, in glorious 3-D, technicolor, surround-sound. Now is where it’s at. Now is where life happens. In a sense, it’s all there is.

Yet we humans get quite creative in avoiding the present moment. Life can be boring, painful, repetitive, or ugly. We may wish to be anywhere, any time except for here and now. We habitually filter our experience through thick overlays of memories, ideas, preferences, opinions, fantasies, daydreams, worries, plans, hopes, and internal dialogue. Consequently, at the end of the day, we often wonder where the day went. Then we do it all over again.

Here are some day mindfulness tips to help you train yourself to cherish your every life moment:

• Practice minimalism
  Minimalism forces you to live in the present. Removing items associated with past memories frees you and allows you to stop living in the past. Once the past no longer has power, you can begin to live in the moment.
• Laughter
  Each day is a brand new opportunity for us to live again! Start it with a smile. You are in control of your attitude every morning, keep it optimistic and expectant. Be intentional about it and you’ll find yourself doing it every day without even realizing it.
• Fully appreciate the moments of today.
  Every morning we are given another chance to live; so let’s not take it for granted. Soak in as much of today as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow. These are in our daily lives but we often forget to take them in and truly appreciate them.
• Release the painful past
  If you are harboring resentment towards another human being because of past hurts, choose to forgive and move on. The harm was their fault, but allowing it to impact your mood today is yours. Let go and choose to be present at the moment instead.
• Dream away and Manifest
  Don’t be afraid to daydream. Align your actions to your dreams. For every dream to come true we need to work towards it. Set goals and plans for the future. But working hard today is always the first step towards realizing your dreams tomorrow. Don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in the moment. Dreaming about the future is only productive when combined with action taken today.
• Stop worrying
  You can’t fully appreciate today if you worry too much about tomorrow. Realize that tomorrow is going to happen whether you worry about it or not. And since worry has never accomplished anything for anybody, redirect your mental energy elsewhere.
• Focusing on solutions vs. your problems
  Our world is changing so fast that most of yesterday’s solutions are no longer the right answers today. Don’t get locked into a “but that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. Yesterday’s solutions are not today’s solutions and they are certainly not tomorrow’s solutions. Every day is innovative.

Learning how to live in the present moment is an essential ingredient in a happy life.
If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present.

Love yourself. Live your life fully.

Namaste!
Love and light
Manali